Bottle cap



' lY/T/VESSES 1,619,509 March 1927' L. s. GROVE-S BOTTLE CAP Filed J ann 1926 IN VEN TOR. ll/[M/l 5. GROVE-5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUCIAN S. GROVES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO STEWART MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BOTTLE C AP.

Application filed January 16, 1926. Serial No. 81,717.

This invention relates to bottle closures and more particularly to a novel sanitary cap for milk bottles.

The primary object of the present, invention is the provision of a molded bottle cap having a novel protecting skirt for receiving the upper end or head of the milk bottle, so as to effectively prevent the settling of dust, dirt and the like on the pouring lip of the bottle and .theentrance of foreign matter into the bottle upon the removal of the cap from the bottle neck.

Another primary object of the invention is the provision of a novel bottle cap, which can be molded from a low grade of material, such as wood-pulp and which can be readily stacked one upon the other to permit the use thereof in automatic. bottle cap,- ping machines.-

A further object of the invention is the provisioh of an improved milk bottle cap embodying an annular protecting dust skirt, the cap beingfip formed as to provide a triple seal, whereby the entrance of dust,

dirt and the like into the bottle and the loss' of the ca is absolutely precluded.

A furt er object of the invention is the provision of novel means for forming the cap, whereby the inside closure seat will tend to be forced tighter in engagement with the interior diameter of the bottle neck when the same becomes moist or Wet, the skirt tending to grip the bead of the bottle tighter as the same dries out. 1

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for forming the molded cap in such a manner'as to ermit the association therewith of the or inar disk bottle cap having the usual dairy a vertisement thereon.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bottle cap formed of molded material having a concavo-convex depression in its lower face forming an expansion chamber to permit the effective taking care of the ex ansion of the milk in the bottle, after the elivery of the milk. A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel air chamber formed within the dust skirt upon the association of the cap with the bottle neck to permit of .and to allow the expansion and contraction of the cap as well as the bottle.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a novel sanitary bottle cap of the above character, which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can bejplace'd upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter'more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompany.- ing drawings, in which drawin s:

Figure'l is a fragmentary side elevation of a milk bottle neck part1 I broken away in section with the improve cap associated therewith, the cap being shown in diametric section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the improved cap,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the improved cap,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the cap showlng a slightly modified form thereof, the cap having parts thereof broken away and in section,.

Figure 6 is a diametric section through the modified form of the cap taken on the line 6-6 ofFigure 5,

Figure-7 is a detail plan view of the expansion ring utilized in the modified form of cap, and

Fi re 8 is a detail plan view of the contractlon ring used in the modified form of the cap. k

Referring to the drawings 1n detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the Several views,'the et bottle of the ordinary character and B the novel improved milk bottle cap therefor.

'As stated the milk bottle A 1s of the conventional form and includes the usual neck 10 having the pouring head 11 and the interior annular seat 12 against which is normally fitted, the usual closure disk.

:" The improved milk bottle cap B is formed from molded material, such as wood pulp owing to the cheapness thereof and if preter A indicates a milk ferred the cap can be coated or impregnated with parafiin or some other liquid-proof material. However, it is referred to leave the ea in its original moldbd condition, in view of certain inherent characteristics of the cap formed from paper pulp when left in its lain state.

e im roved cap B comprises a relatively thick dis shaped body portion 15 having formed on the up er edge thereof the annular depending ust protecting skirt 16. This skirt 16 is of an arcuate configuration incross section and is more or less of a sprin 'y nature, so as'to snap over the bead 11 of the neck of the milk bottle. If preferred the main body ortion 15 can be gradually flared outward y-as at 17 so as to insure snapping of the same in position on the seat 12 formed within the bottle neck. It is to be understood that the body is forced into position withinithe milk bottle neck and forms a tight seal'therewith, which is the first means for sealing the bottle. The skirt 16 is of such a. size and configuration as to receive the entire bead 11 and thereby fully cover the same and this skirt forms a dual seal with the bead. Thus the skirt engages the upper outer edge of the head, as indicated by the reference character 18 and beneath the head, as indicated by the reference character 19. Thus the entire cap forms a triple seal preventing the ingress or egress of material from orinto the bottle. 7 The lower face of the main body portion 15 of the cap is provided with a concaved depression 20 whlch provides for the expansion of the milk the seat 12." An air space 21 is also within thecontainer and it is alsoobvious, that from the formation of this depression that the cap isincreased in i'widtlr' at its outer edge to form the flange for fitting-upon o'r'med between the skirt and the upper edgesof the bead 11 and this air chamber i'eventscreepingof moisture and the like 1nto the-bottle and also allows the skirt 16 to conform to different sizes of beads on the mifl: bottlenecks.

The upper face-of the body 15 is provided with a isk shaped depression 22 into which is adapted to be brought the ordinary disk shaped milk cap bearing the name of the dai using the improved cap. The milk bott e disk (not shown) can be sprung into the depression 22, while the cap is in a wet condition.

In use of the improved caps, the same are placed one upon the other and can be successfully used in an automatic bottle capping machine.

Attention is invited to the fact, that if the body portion 15 becomes wet, the same will have atendency to swell forming a tight fit with the seat 12 of the bottle neck and the skirt 16, which is exposed to the air will tend to dry thus contracting tighter about the bead of the bottle. 7

In Figures 5 to 8 inclusive I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention, in which an expansion ring 25 of the split type can be molded directly into the body 15 adjacent to the lower outer edge thereof, so as to insure the strengthening of the capxat that point and to normally hold the cap in intimate contact with the seat '12. I A contractile split ring 26 is also embedded in the skirt 16 adjacent to its lower edge, so as to strengthen the skirt and to normally hold the skirt in intimate contact with the said bottle neck.

Changes in details may be made Without LUCIAN S. GROVES. 

